Digital cameras, such as the Kodak DC28O™ digital camera, sold by the Eastman Kodak Company, enable images to be utilized on a home personal computer (PC), printed locally or remotely, and incorporated into e-mail documents and personal World-Wide-Web home pages which can be accessed via the Internet. The camera's graphic user interface (GUI) enables the user to select image processing settings, such as the image sharpness, from a list of settings including “normal”, “sharper”, and “less sharp”. Unfortunately, an inexperienced user may not understand how these settings affect the captured images, or may need to complete a tiresome trial-and-error process to arrive at the settings which they prefer. There are many different image processing software applications for home PCs that allow images to be modified, for example, by adjusting the sharpness, brightness, or color saturation. Unfortunately, these programs are difficult for inexperienced users. Such users often do not understand these technical terms, or the adjustments that are possible. As a result, they are either not able to obtain the types of images they prefer, or alternatively, must complete a tiresome trial-and-error process using various settings before they arrive at settings which they prefer.
Digital scanners, such as print or film scanners, and digital hardcopy printers can also include user controls to modify the image sharpness, contrast, and/or color. Again, these require a tedious trial-and-error process by the user in order to arrive at preferred settings.
On the other hand, the inventors of the present invention have recognized that even the most inexperienced user is able to pick a preferred image from a group of images having the same subject but different types of image processing.